The Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and Bologna Children’s Book Fair, in collaboration with the French Syndicat national de l’édition (SNE), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), the International Publishers Association (IPA) and the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) are organizing in Bologna, on the occasion of the Fair, an international conference to showcase and encourage the dissemination of the world’s best practices in reading promotion and to reflect on the role of European and international policies.
Building the Future Generation of Readers: Best Practices and Policies for Reading Promotion will take place on April 13 at the Illustrators Café, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The event is aimed at the entire book and reading community—publishers, librarians, institutions, teachers, professional associations, and the press. After opening remarks by Elena Pasoli, Director of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, a panel of publishers and reading experts will present some of the most successful projects currently underway around the world, including #ioleggoperché with pilot project #ioleggoperchéLAB-NIDI in Italy, as well as various programs promoted in France and South Korea, and the UK's The National Year of Reading.
The second part of the event will focus on dialogue with institutions, featuring contributions from representatives of FEP, IPA, and IBBY, with the goal of sparking discussion on current initiatives, future challenges, and priorities identified through engagement with European and international institutions. UNESCO will be represented by Mari Yasunaga, Programme Specialist, Section of Youth, Literacy, and Skills Development, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems (Education Sector). The session will be moderated by Luis Gonzalez, Director of the Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez (FGSR). Closing remarks will be delivered by AIE President Innocenzo Cipolletta.
“As an active member of the global publishing community, BCBF believes it has a responsibility to engage meaningfully with the most pressing issues facing sector. In our role as the leading international event dedicated to children’s publishing, we feel an even stronger commitment to addressing one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the reading emergency. Supporting access to books, fostering a culture of reading, and reaffirming the transformative power of stories are not only part of our mission: they are at the very heart of who we are”, commented Bologna Children’s Book Fair Director Elena Pasoli.
